Speaking of his rapprochement with Manoj Bajpai, Varma said, "It was Rajat's idea to sign Manoj for Road. He said Manoj was best suited for the role. I never said anything about not working with Manoj again. In this industry there's nothing like never again."

Bajpai is jubilant. "Working with Varma is like coming home again. We would speak to each other regularly, even when the industry said we were no longer friends. At the Diwali celebrations at the Bachchans' last year, we spent at least a couple of hours together."

Bajpai has already begun his preparations for the look and the mannerisms of his character. "It's going to be the kind of film I believe in. Path-breaking, but still very much part of the mainstream cinema," he said.